AUGUST 20, 2026 – Since 1775, the United States Army has defended our republic and carried the torch of liberty through suffering and sacrifice. From the frozen Delaware at Trenton to the bluffs of Normandy, the jungles of Guadalcanal, and the winter hills of Chosin, American Soldiers faced enemies in brutal conditions and held the line. They answered the Nation’s call. One hundred and ninety campaign streamers fly from our Army flag, each testifying to the valor of our forebearers. Their legacy is ours to uphold.
Answering the Nation’s Call
The Army serves the Nation. We preserve peace and security, support our national objectives, and overcome any force whose aggression imperils us. Our strategic direction is clear:
- Defend the Homeland. We secure our Nation’s borders, protect the American people against attack, and respond to domestic crises — these are our most sacred duties. A secure Western Hemisphere is a prerequisite for joint power projection.
- Warfighting. America’s Army applies violence decisively on battlefields marked by unrelenting speed, precision lethality, and persistent observation. We dominate from the outset to control escalation, prevent prolonged war and counter enemies who employ stand-off weapons, including unmanned systems and WMD.
- Project Power On and From the Land. The Army projects land power by generating combat credible formations, prepositioning capabilities where they matter most, and strengthening the capacity of our Allies and partners. The Army maintains units postured to respond immediately to crises and contingencies regionally and worldwide.
The Army is the Foundation of the Joint Force
The Army has aggressively pursued change to prepare for large scale combat operations. We shifted from brigade modularity to a force organized for multidomain operations at all echelons. We fielded long range precision fires that strike deep and sink ships at sea, evolved air defenses for skies saturated with unmanned systems, upgraded theater logistics, expanded terrestrial intelligence, and established new units integrating space, cyber, electronic warfare, and artificial intelligence into command and control.
The work of change continues. Today we emphasize the fundamentals of Soldiering, ensuring a strong grounding in warrior ethos, individual Soldier readiness, and small unit tactical skills. As the Army campaigns around the world, we turn our focus to operational readiness to achieve our central task: To be ready to fight and win the battles and wars of the Nation.
A ready Army is the foundation of the Joint Force, providing a range of capabilities that underpin joint operations and give our leaders immediate options. We employ four operational warfighting elements — convergence, strike, close battle, and endurance — to deliver joint all domain maneuver. We bind the regional land power networks of Allies and partners, offering distinct advantages for access and interoperability.
What Land Dominance Demands
U.S. Army forces must be prepared to overcome the most complex challenges our adversaries can impose and master an operational environment that looks fundamentally different from the battlefields of yesterday. To prepare for modern war, the Army will:
- Embrace a Warrior Mindset. We possess the grit to endure hardship and the courage to act honorably. Our Soldiers and Civilians uphold high standards and seek continuous development. Leaders at all echelons see Soldiers as the decisive advantage and prioritize training mission essential tasks.
- Outpace our Adversaries. We learn, innovate, and adapt faster by pairing our human ingenuity and judgment with advanced technologies like autonomy and artificial intelligence. Our professional military educational institutions teach the essence of warfighting, and our combat training centers validate readiness through crucibles designed to replicate the challenge of combat. Experience, reflection, and accountability propel our force to excellence.
- Gain Positional Advantage. We gain positional advantage through posture that comes in many forms: from forward basing to campaigning to stockpiling supplies. We continually reinforce forward areas, harden lines of communication, and exploit opportunities.
The next war will not look like our last. Yet there are timeless truths in war. The battlefield does not forgive weakness. Land combat in the modern era will demand every ounce of rigor, endurance, and courage we possess. Every shortcut in training and lapse in discipline will be paid for in blood.
This is the Army we must be: disciplined, lethal, and relentless — an Army that closes with and destroys the enemy, leaving no doubt about the will and power of the United States. As it has for more than 251 years, our Army will stand ready to fight, and win — whenever and wherever the Nation calls.
This We’ll Defend!
By Gen. Christopher C. LaNeve
40th Vice Chief of Staff of the Army